The Trolley Problem
You can do one thing that will make one person happy or healthy or safe. You can do one thing that will do the same for a group of people. What do you do?
I’ve been debating ethics a lot lately. I’m taking a social responsibility class in my second semester of grad school. My professor loves to bait us and incite arguing over ethical issues from porn to horror films to politics.
I get fired up in class. I try not to and it always comes out. I think it’s because I work in a neutral environment. Show no preference, show no ‘side’ to avoid any issues or appearance of bias. I bite my tongue a lot. In school I get to let it rip.
I’m older than most of the other students. Still working full time and going to school part time. The 22-year olds don’t like my mouth. I’m blunt and to the point. I decimate their arguments at times. I have life experience on my side.
I see them for functions for the college we’re all attending and it’s awkward. A couple become friends the rest just roll their eyes when I open my mouth in class.
I think it’d make it all of them happy if I sat in class and kept my mouth shut. Would it make me happy? Would my silence ease my mind? Help me have more friends in class? Help me pass my ethics class? Alleviate the stress of juggling work and school and home? I guess. Not speaking up could make a lot of things easier in life.
But it wouldn’t ease my mind. It wouldn’t soothe my soul. It wouldn’t make me happy. I think it would crush me. If the thoughts can’t come out of my head then they fester and grow. Discomfort in class becomes discomfort in my own skin.
From political tensions to generational tensions-when do I stop saying whatever I think and feel to ease my mind, ignoring how it makes others feel? Or even taking pleasure in their discomfort? Will I outgrow it? Do I want to outgrow it?
Can I find the balance between being my bitchy self and the softer side that takes feelings into consideration before I spout my mouth off? Does stifling my own voice to make others feel better serve any purpose?
Will the question every truly be answered?
I’ve been debating ethics a lot lately. I’m taking a social responsibility class in my second semester of grad school. My professor loves to bait us and incite arguing over ethical issues from porn to horror films to politics.
I get fired up in class. I try not to and it always comes out. I think it’s because I work in a neutral environment. Show no preference, show no ‘side’ to avoid any issues or appearance of bias. I bite my tongue a lot. In school I get to let it rip.
I’m older than most of the other students. Still working full time and going to school part time. The 22-year olds don’t like my mouth. I’m blunt and to the point. I decimate their arguments at times. I have life experience on my side.
I see them for functions for the college we’re all attending and it’s awkward. A couple become friends the rest just roll their eyes when I open my mouth in class.
I think it’d make it all of them happy if I sat in class and kept my mouth shut. Would it make me happy? Would my silence ease my mind? Help me have more friends in class? Help me pass my ethics class? Alleviate the stress of juggling work and school and home? I guess. Not speaking up could make a lot of things easier in life.
But it wouldn’t ease my mind. It wouldn’t soothe my soul. It wouldn’t make me happy. I think it would crush me. If the thoughts can’t come out of my head then they fester and grow. Discomfort in class becomes discomfort in my own skin.
From political tensions to generational tensions-when do I stop saying whatever I think and feel to ease my mind, ignoring how it makes others feel? Or even taking pleasure in their discomfort? Will I outgrow it? Do I want to outgrow it?
Can I find the balance between being my bitchy self and the softer side that takes feelings into consideration before I spout my mouth off? Does stifling my own voice to make others feel better serve any purpose?
Will the question every truly be answered?